FARM JOB: Pemberton, BC - Rootdown Organic Farm, Field Crew

Rootdown Organic Farm in Pemberton, BC is seeking a Field Crew with Optional Lead Roles!

ABOUT Rootdown Organic Farm

Rootdown Farm is a Certified Organic mixed veggie farm in the fertile Pemberton Valley that strives for environmental, economic, and social sustainability in all its operations. Established in 2009, we grow and sell 30+ different types of vegetables within Whistler and Pemberton through various sales channels (harvest boxes, restaurants, grocery stores). We are committed to serving our communities with high-quality, healthy food. We do this using small tractors, human power/hand tools, and are beginning to introduce some mechanical weeding.

The farm is fast paced, exciting, and dynamic. There are daily and weekly deadlines, and work needs to be done efficiently. Because of this, we have strived over the years to improve our systems to make the work more enjoyable for all. We continue to refine these systems and welcome feedback from staff on an ongoing basis.

DESIRED QUALITIES

Our seasonal staff are integral to our business, and as such, we truly appreciate our team! Every year an amazing and diverse array of folks from various backgrounds put in many hours of their time, hard work, and energy into making Rootdown a viable farm that can give back to the community.

Farm experience is not necessary (though it is an asset), however, we have found that folks with certain qualities do best when working with us. We are looking for individuals who:

Are hard-working and kind and committed to a drama-free workplace
Value and practice good communication skills with managers and coworkers, including giving and receiving constructive feedback well
Have experience with physical labour and/or work in fast-paced industries (landscaping, food service, kitchens, etc.) – this is an asset but not necessary
Have a healthy body (especially back and knees) and the ability to repeatedly lift 30-40 lbs
Practice good self-care, especially in challenging working conditions (i.e. getting enough sleep, eating well, staying hydrated, etc.), so that they can complete the tasks at hand
Come to work on time and prepared with appropriate gear (i.e. appropriate footwear, waterproof gear, sunhat, kneepads, etc.)
Have the desire to learn new skills and then improve and get faster (and faster!) at them with practice
Have the ability to be self-motivated – will hustle and work quickly and efficiently to meet deadlines without constant supervision
Can work independently or as part of a team to accomplish common goals
Take and give constructive feedback well
May be interested in multiple seasons with Rootdown, with the option to take on more responsibility (if desired) in subsequent seasons
Are legally able to work in Canada at the time of application, or have plans to independently gain a working Visa before the start date of their contract. Regretfully, we will not respond to applicants who do not meet this requirement.

JOB TASKS

The work at Rootdown Farm varies widely over the season and depends on the specific position (full time/part time, partial season/full season, start/end dates), and prior experience. There is the option for staff to take on more responsibility as desired and with relevant experience based on strong performance and work. Specifically, we will be looking for someone to fill (or grow into) the following roles in 2024:

Harvest Lead
Wash/Pack Lead
Greenhouse Lead

All positions WILL DEFINITELY include:

Transplanting and weeding field vegetable crops
Harvesting a variety of vegetable crops
Repetitive work of some kind at times

All positions will also include some of the following tasks, depending on specific role, prior experience, and staff preferences and strengths:

Tray and field seeding a variety of vegetable crops
Watering and managing seedlings
Using a wide variety of hand and small machinery tools, and/or tractors (with experience)
Pruning and trellising crops in greenhouses and high tunnels
Troubleshooting pest and disease issues in vegetable crops
Applying organic fertilizer including compost to the production fields and greenhouses
Assisting with field and greenhouse irrigation set-up, take-down and operation
Washing and packing a variety of vegetable crops for various types of orders (this requires strong attention to detail)
Assisting at CSA Harvest Box pick-up sites
Giving direction and feedback to less experienced staff and/or a small crew of volunteers
And more!

JOB DETAILS

Term: Full and part time positions available from April/May-Oct/Nov with 1-2 full-time summer positions from May 1-August 31 only. There is some flexibility in start and end dates for the right candidates, so apply even if your availability does not line up perfectly!

Hours per week: Hours are 35-45 hrs/week. We do our absolute best to keep hours worked to 40 hrs/week, however, there will be some weeks in July/August/September when we may ask folks to work a few hours extra, or the option for more hours will be available to those who want extra hours.

At the end of the season (mid-October-November), there may be some weeks that are 30-35 hrs, depending on weather and the task list.

Wage: The initial starting wage for all positions is $20-$23/hour depending on experience. We also offer a “Season End Bonus” for all staff who stay until the end of their agreed upon work contracts of $0.25 for every hour worked (which works out to around $250-$300 for full season staff).

Other perks:

Options for basic staff housing may be available. There may be some staff housing available through the farm (varying setups). Please let us know if this is of interest. Preference will be given to applicants who already have, or who are willing to seek their own housing in the area.
Access to loads of free, organic veggie seconds/surplus is also a staff perk, and if you are a vegetable eater (or want to become one!) this can save you quite a bit of money on your grocery bill. Not to mention the veggies will taste amazing!
Challenging yet meaningful work for today’s changing world!

TO APPLY

Interested folks should send a cover letter and resume, including references, to the farm’s assistant manager, Ariella, at admin@rootdownfarm.net. Please clearly indicate:

Which position you are interested in – full or part-time, preferred start/end dates, and if you have an interest in taking on or growing into a Lead role.
If you are under 30 and a Canadian citizen, as some of our positions are dependent on wage assistance funding with this requirement.
If you may be interested in multiple seasons with Rootdown Farm.
If no relevant experience, please tell us why you are keen anyway, and how you would be a great fit for our farm!

Qualified candidates will be contacted for interviews on an ongoing basis, beginning in January, until positions are filled, so if you are interested in joining our fun and positive crew, don’t delay!

We look forward to hearing from you!
-Simone, Ariella, and TJ

Deadline to apply: Roles will be filled by qualified candidates on a first come, first hired basis.

When applying, please mention you saw this posting at youngagrarians.org

LEARN MORE ABOUT Rootdown Organic Farm

Website: https://www.rootdownfarm.net/jobs
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rootdownorganicfarm
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rootdown_organic_farm/

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